Zucchini Lasagna

I love lasagna, SO MUCH. Once I hear the name, I'm craving it. Everything about it, especially the cheese... because who doesn't love cheese. I LOAD it up.

I heard about using zucchini as a healthier alternative for pasta, so I figured why not slice it up thin and make it for lasagna just like people do for spaghetti? If you aren't a fan of vegetables or zucchini, that's okay, because honestly you can't really taste it! It has a different texture, but it adds a nice crunch to the lasagna. Instead of ground beef, I use ground turkey. I find it as a good alternative to the beef and it's a little healthier for you too. So I like to think that you can have a lot of this lasagna with little regret. You can choose what kind of cheese you want in it, whether it be whole milk or part-skim... this is entirely to your liking!

Here is the recipe! 

Ingredients: 

2 Large Zucchini

Salt & Black Pepper

1 lb Ground Turkey

2 Tablespoon Butter

1 Medium Yellow Onion (diced)

1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Oregano

3 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley 

2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Tomato (Chopped)

1 Can (6 oz) Tomato Paste 

2 Jars (24 oz) Tomato Sauce - your choice

1 Ball Fresh Mozzarella (sliced thin) 

1 Container (16 oz) Ricotta Cheese

Fresh Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350* and grease a 9x13 baking dish. 

1. In a skillet, add 1 Tablespoon of butter and chopped onion, cook until almost transparent. Add ground turkey, salt and pepper (to taste) and cook until browned. Add the can of tomato paste and mix the tomato, 1 Tablespoon parsley, Italian seasoning, oregano and garlic powder to the meat sauce. Set aside to cool slightly. 

2. If you have a mandoline slicer, thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise (if you don't... you can use a sharp knife and carefully slice thin strips of zucchini). Lay on a paper towel and sprinkle each slice with salt. In a few minutes, you'll start to see the slices "sweat". Pat dry then set aside. 

3. Take the ricotta out of the container into a separate bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, mix and set aside.  

4. After everything is prepped, take the jar of tomato sauce and spread a thin layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Add slices of zucchini to cover the bottom of the dish, then spread a portion of the turkey mixture on top of that. Take the ricotta and add dollops as the next layer, then layer with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with parmesan. Add the next layer of zucchini and repeat the above layers. You will do this maybe four or five times, or pile high as much as you want! 

5. Once to the top, add the final slices of mozzarella cheese, spread a light coating of tomato sauce on top and finish off with parmesan cheese. Add the fresh parsley to the top and place in the oven to bake for 45 - 50 minutes. 

6. After it is done, I like to put the broiler on for a minute and place the baking dish underneath to crisp up the cheese on top because.... who doesn't love crispy cheese?! DO NOT burn it, it cooks fast! 

7. Let the lasagna cool for about 15 minutes, cut into squares and enjoy! ...Or if you're like me and have no self-control, eat it out of the baking dish! Hehe :) 

ENJOY!

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